Speed circuit controller



sept. 61,1927, 1,641,461

A. G. SHAVER SPEED CIRCU T CONTROLLER original Filed Jan. 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l L 4 7j v .u l

Sept. 6, 1927.

A: G. SHAVER SPEED CIRCUIT CONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 24 1923 EEE:

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l [TORNE Yi JNVENTOR Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED. STATE-sj PATENT oFFICE. g

ARCHIBALD G. snevnn, or CIHCAGO.,.ILLIVNors,4'assisnon froy rial; nissan sarn'rY DEVlCES GOMFANY, ING, F NEW YORKI N- TL, A COBPQRLTION. 0E NEW YQRK- .srnnn cinonr CONTROLLER.

Application filed January 24, 1923,Sera1 the train and a mechanism such as a speed circuit controller means controlled bythe action of the centrifugal governor, these parts being directly attached to a wheel of the vehicle, with the construction such that thecentrifugal ,governor rotates bodily with the wheel and cooperates with the speed circuit control-ler which is held inv a relatively stationary condition. Preferably there is provided a casing completely housing the governor and circuit controll means, part ol' said casing carrying the lcentr-ifugal governor being-attached to the wheel, andl another part carrying the relatively stationary speed circuit controller mounted for relative rotation on the-first casing part. One of the prime..desiderata of the present invention coinprehends an improvement inrv this speed control apparatus wherebyv` the speed circuit controller or the centrifugal governor with the speed circuit controller may be had access to in an easy manner for purposes of inspection, repair and replacement of parts, without the necessity of removal of the entire apparatus from thekve-` hicle wheel; and whereby the speed circuitcontroller and the centrifugal governor may be removed from the casing housing the same l No. 614,648. Renewed February 3, 1927.

consti-notional. and operating integrity of thel former is maintained in spite of the occurrence of a defect in the centrifuge means; the further provision of an improved speed control apparatus `in which the speed 'circuit controller and* the centrifugal governorare provided with cooperating Contact means which may bot-h be held relatively stationary ,during the rotation of the governor so as to minimize the wearing away ofthe contacts of they speed circuit c'ontrol-' ler; the still further provision ofA an apparatus of this nature in which the parts housed by the casing may be. inspected without removal of any of the mechanism from the casing; and the provision of a speed control apparatus in :which thewparts are constructed to withstand thev severe service 'conditions to which theyfare normally sub- V.sought to be defined in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show preferred embodiments of my invention, and inV which:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view 'of my speed controlA apparatus showing the same applied to the wheel-of a vehicle,

Fig.A 2 is a cross-sectional eleva-tional View of the same with parts broken away,

Fig. 3- is across-sectional view of a modified form of my invention,

Fig. l .is a view taken in cross-,section on the line 4 4, Fig. v3, and i Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a detail.

As heretofore mentioned, a principal object of the present invention includes the provision of a speed control apparatus in which the operating parts of the apparatus may be assembledl and disassembled with `facility and ease for purposes ofV inspecting,

repairing and replacing the same-without necessitating the removal of the entire apparatusf-rom its support such as the wheel .of-thel vehicle, and to this end there isi provided a's shownin Figs. l and. 2of the drawings a two-part casingincluding the casing body l0 and the' casing cover 11, the casing 'body being directly attachable to al support such as the wheel 12 of a vehicle of the train so that the casing is carried by and rotates with the said wheel, thecasing cover 11 being constructed to carry the operating,`

mechanism either in whole or part so that the said mechanism which is normally housed by the casing may be removed therefrom upon removal of the cover 11.

The casing 10 may be desirably attached to the wheel 12 by boltiiig the bottom 13 of the casing directly to the end of the axle of the wheel` 12, which may be the wheel of the pony truclnby means of four spaced bolts 14 (see Fig. 2 of the di'awings), these bolts being locked in position by strips of vsheet iron 15 and 15', the said sheet iron apparatus comprise generally a speed actuated device such as the centrifugal governor meausgenerally designated as 16 which rotates with the wheel 12 and the casing 10 and mechanism controlled by the action of the centrifugal governor, which in the present invention comprises the relatively stationary speed circuit controller generally designated as 17. 1n the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the centrifugal governor 16 and the speed circuit controller 17 are attached to and carried by the cover 11 so that these parts may be removed from the casing upon removal of the cover( For supporting the relatively rotatable governoril and circuit controller 17, the cover 11 comprises generally two sections, a section 18 which is iXedly attached to the casing 10 and whichV carries the centrifugal governor 16, and a condulet section 19 mounted in the section 18 for free rotation thereinas by means of the ball bearing device 20, the saidl condulet section carrying the circuit controlling means 17.

rlhe centrifugal governor 16 may comprise the oppositely disposed centrifuge arms 21 carrying the centrifuge weights 22, the said arms being pivotally mounted in the apertured lugs 23 formed preferably integral with a rear plate 24, the said centrifuge arms being connected by means of the lifnlas 25 to a cross head. 2,6 slidably inovable on a rod 27 which is lixedly carried byV the yrear plate 24, a spring 28 anchored between the cross head 26 and an adjustable nut 29 being provided for acting in oppo-A sition to the centrifuge action, the .adjust-4 able nut 29 adjustable on the threaded portion 30 of the rod 27 being provided for adjusting the tension of the spring 28, the raction of the spring 28 being supplemented,

vsupports the centrifuge mechanism is detachably mounted on the cover section 18 by means of a plurality of'diametrically Vpositioned rods 32 which are tlii'eadedly received by the rear plate 24 as shown at 33,v Fig. 1, the said rods being received by suitable apertures in the 'cover section 18,

the said rods being threaded at theirv front ends for receiving the nuts 34 (one of which appears in Fig. 1 of the drawings), thel said rear ,plate 24 andcover section 18 being held in spaced position on these rods by means of the spacing sleeves 35 carried thereby. .f

The relatively stationary condulet section 19 may be formed of vone piece as shown,

and may be loclredin position on the ballv bearing means 2O by vmeans of the retaining nut 36, the said condulet section being constructed to fiXedly carry an insulating plug 37"L to which is attached `the parts of the speed circuit controller, the said parts com--v pi'ising a plurality of contact springs 37. four in number, arranged circumfereiitially on an insulating 'disk 38, ,the said contact springs being electrically connected to a plurality -of binding posts 39 by means of the securing members 40, the said binding postsbeinglongitudinally seated in the plug body 37a. The condulet 19 is also constructed `for receiving a conduit 41 for the leadsr or conductors to beV connected to the binding posts 39, and for facilitating the attachnient of the conductors the condulet is provided with a front closure 42reinovably held in place by means of ythe removable locking ring 43.

For holding the cover lland its attachefil sov the bottom 13 of the casing-'10, the said guide posts being received by aligned apertures in the rear plate 24 and the cover section 18, the construction being such that the posts 44 guidingly receive the rear plate 24 and the cover section 18 and support the same iii position in the casing when the cover is ati5- tached thereto, the cover being held in posi-` tion by means of a plurality of nuts 45 (one of which is shown in Fig. 1) threadedly received by the front ends of the guide posts 4:4.

By means of this constructionpit will be evident that'the casing body 10 and ,the`

cover section 18 rotate-with the rotation of the `wheel 12 for actuating the centrifuge mechanism attached to and carried by the 39 cover .section 1S, the circuit controlling means 17 being held relatively stationary by virtue of'its attachment tothe conduit 41, the cover section 18 ,rotatingV about the condulet section 19 carrying the circuit controlling parts. It will be further seen that by unscrewing the nuts 45, the cover 1l may be removed from the casing body, the removal of said cover effecting the withdrawal of the centrifuge and the circuit controlling means for purposes of inspection. or` repair, this being accomplished without,V removing the casing from its support. It will be further evident that the operatingy mechanism may also be separated by unscrewing the nuts 34, the centrifuge mechanism 16A being thereby disassociated from the speed circuit controlling means 17, a quickfand convenient disassembly of the operating parts being thereby made possible.

For the purpose of maintaining the'constructional` and operating integr-ity of the circuit controlling means 17. and for preventing interference with the' same resulting from any derangement of the centrifuge mechanism as when the same breaks loose and tumbles about `inside Vthe casinglO, I have provided a guard plate 46 interposed between the centrifuge mechanism 16 and the circuit controlling means 17 ,e the said guard plate being heldl in position on the rods 32 by means of the spacing sleeves 35,

'y and to this end the spacing sleevesk 35'are made in sections 35 and 352, the said sections lockingv the guard plate 4611i position as clearly sliownf inFig. 1 of the' drawings.

'lhis construction has been vfound to work' very advantageously for protecting the contact springs and associatedhparts from any defective behaviour of the centrifuge parts.

1n the operation of the speed circuit controller, the action ofv the centrifuge mechay rcentrifuge mechanism including the centrinism controls the making and breaking of circuits connected to train mechanism` for controlling the movement of trains, `the construction and arrangement being such that the circuits are normally maintained closed when the speed of the vehicle is at or below a predetermined limit and are opened whenV the speed of the vehicle eX- ceeds a predetermined limit. To accomplish this the centrifuge mechanism'operates to normally bridge the Contact springs 37 for closing the circuits, the centrifuge governoi` being provided witha contactbutton 47 carried by an insulating piece 48 which is attached to the crossv head 26,l the s aid button normally bridging the contact springs as shownand separating therefrom for opening the, vehicle circuits when the centrifuge arms 21 Vfly out a predetermined distance. For the purpose of preventing the wearing away offthelspring contacts 37,v

the contact button 47 ofV` my present invention is mounted on the insulating piece 48` tact springs.

]n the, actual operation, this plate rotates relatively slowly at'the rate' of about five revolutions'per minute, which is jiistenough to keep the .contacts clean, but is `not enough to cause any wear on `the same.

For the purpose of adjustably fixing` the tension of the contact springs 37 and providing adjustable stop means therefor, there are. provided the castellated nuts 51 adjustableon the threaded members 52 carried by the ,y insulating disk 38.

Referring. now to Figs. 3 and .4 of` the drawings, wherein I show a modified form of my invention, the casing body may com-- pri-see two separable sections 1 0 and 13, the

section 13 being attachable tov a support` such'as the wheel 12 of the vehicle in a man-ner similar to that heretofore. described, and the body section 10 being removably attachable to the bottom section 13 by means of the securing elements 53'. The. casing coverA 11 in this form of my invention may also comprise-the cover section 18 which is fixed-ly attached to the body 10" by means of the securing elements 54, and a relatively 'stationary condulet section 19 mounted in the section 18 for free rotation as by means of the ball bearing merhanism 20, `this part of my construction lbeing similar to that shown iii Figs. 1 and 2- ofthe drawings.v

In this modified construction the centrifuge mechanism 16 is'carried by the bottom casing section 13 instead of being carried by and for removal with the casing cover, the

fuge arms 21 pivotally carried by thek apertui'ed lugs 23 formed preferably integrally kwith thebottom casing section 13", the said centrifuge arms carrying the centrifuge weights 22l with the arms connected to the 4cross' head 2,6 by means of the links 25',

bottom casing section 13', being provided in conjunction with the auxiliary springs 31 forcounteracting the centrifuge action of the centrifuge mechanism. The centrifugal governor may also be provided with the contact buttons- 72 which may be mounted for free rot-ation .on the rod l27 if desired.

The speedy circuit controller means 17 is carried by the casing cover for removal therewith,'and more specifically is mounted as in the'form arl-ready described on the condulet section l9. W'iththis construction,

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upon iinscrewine; the bolts 5411 `the cover l1 may be removed and thespeedcircuit controller means removed therewith, so that ai'- -cover litting over a gasket 58. ,Although this inspection window and removablev closure therefor is sho-wn provided for the moditied term ot my invention, it will be understood that such means may similarly employed withl the construction shoviiin Figs. .-1 and 2 ot the drawings.

The luse and operation ot my improved speedcontrol apparatus will ui the main be fully apparent from the above detailed de-A scription thereof. lt v il' be further apparent that by means olf the improved construction provided a quick and easy assembly and disassembly ot the operating parts of the mechanism may be eliectedavithout dismantling the apparatus as a wholeor removing,` the same ilroin the a part and in the preterredconstruction the Whole ot the operating mechanism being'removable with the cover Vot the casing. By V-means of the other improvements provided,

the speed circuitv controller `mechanism is guarded against any accidental derangement or other detective behavior ot the centrifuge mea-ns, the integrityof the former being` thereby maintained andthe cooperating centrifuge and speed circuit controlling; parts are so constructed-as towithstandthe severe service conditions to which-these partsare normally subjected in train control operations. y

lVliile I have shown my invention in the preierred toi-ins, it will be obvious that many changes and inodiiifations maybe made in the structure disclosed without departing` trom the spirit o'l the invention delined in the following claims. f

' l. ln combination with a wheel and axleV oi"- a vehicle,a speed control apparatus com-v prising a casing` having` a part connected to the wheel and axle and cai-ried thereby, a cover for the casing` removable therefrom without detaching` the casing` -from the wheel and axle, and speed control mechanismv housed by the casing;` including means carried by the cover and removable therewith.

2.A In combination with a wheel and axle or a vehicle, speed control apparatus comprising a multiple part casing, one part bel ing directly ailtached to wheel. and. asile pony truck wheel,-

`cover incl of the vehicle and another partbeing removable 'from the first part without detaching the latter from the wheel andaxlerand speed vcontrol mechanism housed V'by the casing including means carried by the said secondcas in o' aartV and; removabletherewith.

3. -A speed control apparatus comprising a vmultiple partcasing, one part being` attachable to a support and another part being removable from the first partwithout detach# ing the latter from the support, and speed control ymechanism housed bythe casingincluding a circuit controlling means carried by the said second casing partand removable therewith.

t. A speed control apparatus comprising aV multiple lpart casing, one part being,` directly attachable' to a wheel of a vehicle and another part 'being removable from the first part without detaching` the latter ronitlie.

wheel7 and speed control mechanism housedv by the casing; including acircuit controlling means carried by the said second casing part Aand removable therewith.l o

' i 5. fr speed control apparatus comprisinga casing attachable to a vehicle7 ,a cover theretoii removable therefrom withoutIl detacliiiig the casing from the vehicle, yand .speed control mechanismhoused by the casing including a circuit controlling` means carried by the cover and removable therewith. m

623A speed control apparatus comprising casing-a removable covertheretor, saidk coverincluding apart fixedly attached to thev casing anda part rotatable relatively thereto, and speedv control mechanism housed by the casing including means carried by the second mentioned cover part and removable with thecover.` g

7. A speed control apparatus.comprising` a casing constructed tor direct attachment to a wheel ot a .vehicle7 a cover therefor removable thereitrom without detaching the casing V from the wheel, said coverk including apart `Fixed-ly attached to the casing` and a part rotatable relatively thereto, and speed control mechanism housed the casing including` means carried by the second mentioned cover partv and removable with the cover. f

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n S. A speed control. apparatus comprising a multiple part casing, one part'being attached to a support and another part being removable trom the tirst part without detachmg the .v latter A troni the support, the'said second cas-- ing part yincluding` a section ixedly attached Y to the iirst casino part and a section rotatable relatively tiereto, and speed control;

mechanism housed by the casing including meansl carried by the said second mentioned section and removable with the second casing part. v f

9. A speed control apparatus comprisin a casing, a removable cover therefor said udine a part ixedly attael wel/,46,1

10. A 4speed cont-rol ai'ipai'atus comprising a two-part casing, one part being attachable to support and the other part being removable from. the` first part without detaching the latter from the support, and. speed con-- trol mechanism including aspeed responsive means and a circuit controlling means operated thereby, housed by thecasing and carried by the said second casing part for removal therewith. Y

11. A speed control apparatus comprising a multiple part casing, one part being attachable to a support and another part being removable from the first part without detaching the latter from the support, and speed control mechanism including a centrifugal governor means and a circuit controlling means operated thereby housed by the casing and carried by the said secondv casing part for removal therewith.

12. A speed control apparatus comprising a two-part casing, one part being attachable to a support and the other part being removable from the first part without detaching the latter from the support, and speed control mechanism including a centrifugal governor means and a circuit controlling means housed bythe casing and carried by the said second casing part for removal therewith. v

13. A speed control apparatus comprising a two-part casing, onel part being removable from the other, and speed control mechanism including centrifugal governer means and a circuit controlling means housed bythe casing and carried by said second casing part for removal therewith.

14. A speed control apparatus comprising a casing, a removable cover therefor, and speed control mechanism including a centrifugal governor means and a circuit controlling means housed by the casing and carried by the cover for removal therewith.

15. A speed control apparatus comprising a casing, a removable cover therefor', the said cover including a section iXedly attached to the casing and a section rotatable relatively thereto, and speed control mechanism including a centrifugal governor means housed by the casing and carried by the said first mentioned cover section for removal therewith.

16. A speed control apparatus comprising a casing constructed for direct attachment to a wheel of a vehicle, a removable cover therefor, the said cover including a section fixedly attached to the casing and a section rotatable relatively thereto, and speed control mechanism housed by the casing, the said speed control mechanism including a centrifugal governor :carried by the` first mentioned Acover lsection kand a circuit controller carried by the second mentioned cover section for'removal with the cover.

17. A speed control apparatus'comprising 'a centrifugal 'speed governor, mechanism cooperating therewith ,and controlled thereby, and guard means interposed loetween the centrifugal speed governor and the said mechanism for preventing improper activity of the latter due to any derangement of the former. 4 l

18. A speed control apparatus comprising a centrifugal speed governor, speed circuit controller mechanism cooperating therewith and controlled thereby, and guard means interposed between the centrifugal speed governor and the said speed Vcircuit controller mechanism y,for preventingy improper activity of thev latter7 dueto any derangement of; the former. y

19. A speed control apparatus comprising a speedactuated means, mechanism cooperating therewith and controlled thereby, and a guard plate interposed between the speed actuated means and the said mechanism for pi'eventingimproper' activity of the latter due to any derangement of the former.

20. A speed control apparatus comprising a casing and a cover therefor, a centrifugal speed governor housed by the casing for rotationv therewith, a speed circuit controller mechanism carried by the cover and adapted to be held stationary relative to the rotatable casing, means whereby the centrifugal speed governor controls the activity of the speed circuit'controller, and guard means interposed between the governor and thev controller for preventing improper activityl of the latter due to any derangement ofthe former.

21. A speed control apparatus comprising a speed actuated means, mechanism cooperating therewith and controlled thereby, the said means Land mechanism being relatively rotatable, and provisions carried by the former adapted to engage and disengage the latter in the operation of the apparatus, the

said provisions being mounted on the former for rotation thereon and for rotation relatively thereto.

22. A speed control apparatus comprising a relatively rotatable speed actuated means, relatively stationary mechanism cooperating therewith, and provisions carried lby the former for engaging and disengaging the latter during rotation of the former, thel said provisions being mounted on the for-k mer for rotation thereonv and for rotation relatively thereto.;v

23. A speed control apparatus comprising a rotatable centrifugal governor, a stationary speed circuit controller cooperating `r therewith, and provisions .carried by. the governorv for engaging and disengagmg the loo- IUS

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circuit controller during rotation of the governor, the said provisions being mounted on the governor for rotation thereon and for rotation relatively thereto. A

24. A speed control apparatus comprising a rotatable centrifugal governor, a stationary speed circuit controller cooperating therewith, and provisions including a contact member carried Vby the governor forv engaging and disengaging the circuit con-pv troller during rotation of the governor,rthe said contact member being freely rotatable on the governor.

25. A speed control apparatus comprising' a casing constructed for attachment to a Wheel of a vehicle, the said casing including end plates and` a side Wall, an inspection Window in said side Wall, and a cover for said side Wall normally closing the Window and removable for opening the said Window.

26. A speed control apparatus comprising contact'mechanism' engageable and disengageable thereby, and adjustable stop meansl l'or limiting rthe movement of the spring contact mechanism in one direction and for determining the point at which the speed actuated means disengages the same.

27. A speed control apparatus comprising a centrifugal speed governor, a speed circuit controller including movable spring Contact means engageable and disengageable by the speed governor, and adjustable stop means for limiting the movement of the spring contact means in one direction and for determining` the point at which the speed gever nor disengages the same.

Signed at Chicago, yin the County of Cook and StateV of Illinois, this 17 th day of January A. D. 1923. f

ARCHIBALD e. sHAvER. 

